Celebrating IWD 2021 HIGH SCHOOLS KIT - UN Women Australia
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Celebrating
IWD 2021
HIGH
S C H O O LS K I T
Photo credit: RyanBrown
www.unwomen.org.au
FRONT COVER AND THIS PAGE
UN WOMEN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
2 // UN WOMEN AUSTRALIA IWD SCHOOLS KIT
WELCOME
A MESSAGE FROM UN WOMEN AUSTRALIA’S
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Thank you for taking time to learn more about International Women’s Day! In 2021, UN Women’s glob-
al International Women’s Day theme is “Women in Leadership”. It celebrates the outstanding efforts by
women and girls around the world to shape equal opportunities for everyone. International Women’s Day
also highlights how important it is for women and girls to have equal seats around decision making tables in
every part of life – from business to politics, from sports to communities.
COVID-19 has been hard on everyone but it has been particularly challenging for women and girls. Women
have lost more jobs and wages during the pandemic, and safety has become an increasing concern. UN
Women Australia is working hard to get us back on track towards achieving an equal world where everyone,
no matter their gender, has the same opportunities to become leaders, get an education and follow their
dreams.
We are so thankful you have decided to join our campaign for gender equality. As you dive into this year’s
International Women’s Day schools kit, my hope is that some of the stories we share, and the questions and
activities you tackle, prompt you to consider steps you might choose to take to advance equality, for every-
one. Thank you for your support of and interest in the work of UN Women.
Janelle Weissman
Executive Director, UN Women Australia
ABOUT UN WOMEN
UN Women Australia exists to raise funds for and awareness of UN Women’s work to end violence
against women, promote economic empowerment, advance women in leadership, and ensure women’s
participation in peace processes to accelerate gender equality worldwide.
UN Women is the United Nations agency for women’s empowerment and gender equality, delivering
programs and transforming policy to enable a brighter future for women and girls in more than 100
countries worldwide.
ABOUT IWD
International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated around the world on March 8. IWD has been celebrated in
various forms across the world since the early 1900s, beginning with a strike in New York, honouring the
garment workers of America in 1908. It shifted to more international actions and today has grown into a
global celebration of achievements of women, and an opportunity to shine a light on the progress still to be
made to achieve full gender equality.
2021 MARKS THE 10 YEAR COUNTDOWN TO THE UN
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL (SDG) OF GENDER EQUALITY
– SDG #5 – BY 2030.
UN WOMEN AUSTRALIA IWD SCHOOLS KIT // 3Photo: UN Women/Murray Lloyd
THEME:
WOMEN IN
LEADERSHIP
Women leaders are making a difference, every day. From bringing different experiences, perspectives and
skills to the table, to carrying out effective COVID-19 responses, women make invaluable contributions to
the highest levels of decisions-making, policies and laws that work better for all. There is still a lot of work
to do to create a level playing field where women and men are equally represented as leaders. The case to
pick up the pace of change is clear when we look at the numbers.
LOCALLY:
Only 1 Of Australia’s 30 prime ministers
since Federation, only one has been
50/50 Only 30.46% of parliamentarians
are women. In Australia, we need
woman a woman, reflecting the under- goal to accelerate closing the gender
representation of women in federal gap to achieve the 50/50 goal –
ministerial positions more generally.1 where women and men are equally
represented in parliament.
AND WORLDWIDE:
Less Less than 7% of the world is led by
a woman. This means that only 12
1 in 4 Additionally, only 1 in 4
Parliamentary seats worldwide
than out of 193 UN member states had a seats are held by women.3
7% woman in their highest position of
executive power.2
Starting in 2021, the world will herald a ten-year count down to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
in 2030. Importantly, this includes SDG #5, the goal focused on achieving gender equality across the globe.
UN Women is working with local partners and communities to improve educational pathways for women
and girls, to use technology and financial training, to ensure that more girls become future leaders in their
communities.
Women bear the brunt of problems ranging from poverty to climate change, but they also possess assets
and talents to solve them.
4 // UN WOMEN AUSTRALIA IWD SCHOOLS KITPhoto: UN Women Asia and the Pacific.
WOMEN LEADING
EVERY DAY
Around the world, women are still underrepresented in decision-
making in every aspect of social, political and economic life.
Sometimes this is a result of discriminatory laws, practices, attitudes
or gender stereotypes. Unequal access to education or health care
and the disproportionate effect of poverty on women all contribute
to women’s limited representation as leaders.
When we harness the assets and talents of women and make
seats around decision-making tables, women’s contributions are
significant, and take into consideration the needs and concerns
of whole communities to deliver innovative policy and business
solutions, creating better outcomes for everyone.
UN WOMEN AUSTRALIA IWD SCHOOLS KIT // 5Varanisese Maisamoa.
Photo: UN Women/Murray Lloyd.
IN HER WORDS:
“WE WANT
TO EMPOWER
OUR MARKET
VENDORS TO
BE CLIMATE
RESILIENT”
VARANISESE MAISAMOA
In February 2016, Tropical Cyclone Winston devastated Fiji, showing the heightened vulnerability
of people living in the Pacific Islands, where climate change has led to a series of increasingly
severe cyclones in recent years. Farms were decimated and markets, like the Rakiraki Market and
accommodation centre for rural women, were destroyed, leaving many market vendors (three quarters of
whom are women) without an income.
Varanisese Maisamoa was one of these women.
TODAY, WITH THE HELP OF UN WOMEN’S MARKETS FOR CHANGE PROJECT, VARANISESE HAS NOT
ONLY GOT BACK ON HER FEET, SHE HAS ALSO BECOME A STRONG LEADER IN HER COMMUNITY.
THIS IS HER STORY.
“For most of us women market vendors, we focus only on coming to the market to make money.
But what if there is a cyclone or flooding that makes it impossible for us to be in the market?
When I joined the Rakiraki Market back in 2007, I noticed the struggle that women market vendors
were enduring day to day. Their security was not protected, there was a continuous disruption of the water
supply, and there was no proper lighting. I realised that they had been in this situation for 15, 20 years or more,
and nobody had ever listened to their plea.
I decided to form a women’s group to help us raise our issues as one voice. From then, I started knocking on
doors and raising the issues that these women had been trying to resolve for years. That’s how, in 2015, I met
two women in the market from UN Women’s Markets for Change project.
After attending the leadership and financial literacy workshops, forums and trainings organised by UN Women,
I took up the initiative to form the Rakiraki Market Vendors Association in 2016. After Cyclone Winston, it was
important to include everybody in market decision-making. We want to empower our market vendors to be
climate resilient.
We have been empowered by UN Women’s Markets for Change project. Now it is our time, as women market
vendors, to support economic growth for our villages, community and country.”
UN Women’s Markets for Change project has been made possible through generous support from the
Australian Aid program.
6 // UN WOMEN AUSTRALIA IWD SCHOOLS KITCHIEF KACHINDAMOTO’S
LIFE MISSION TO END
CHILD MARRIAGE IN
MALAWI
DEMONSTRATING STRONG In Malawi, only 45 per cent of girls stay in school
past the 8th grade. With one in every two girls
WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP married before the age of 18, child marriage and
pregnancy remain the main causes for this high
IN THE PANDEMIC4 dropout rate. Child marriage has devastating
impacts on the rights of the child, from her right
to an adequate education, to her right to sexual
From Germany to New Zealand and Denmark to
and reproductive health. Girls who have left
Iceland, women leaders have shown clarity, empathy,
school have few opportunities to earn a living,
and strong communication in their decisions
which leaves them exposed to various forms of
and policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her
gender-based violence.
Excellency Vjosa Osmani, the first woman assembly
president of Kosovo, is among the many women Chief Theresa Kachindamoto has annulled 3,500
leaders praised for their leadership during the crisis. child marriages in the central region of Malawi
and has helped girls to complete their education,
A former professor and mother of two girls, Osmani
often by subsidizing their schooling. Working
is an outspoken advocate for women’s representation
with UN Women, the government, civil society
in politics. “When women participate in high-ranking
and traditional leaders, Chief Kachindamoto
political and state level [positions], they contribute
contributed to the February 2017 adoption of a
to more balanced, gender-sensitive, environmentally
constitutional amendment raising the minimum
considerate and forward-looking policies,” she says.
age of marriage from 15 to 18 years. These
During the pandemic, women in Kosovo have faced achievements are against all odds—as the first
high levels of vulnerability. Like many countries, woman leader in her village and in a village where
Kosovo has seen a rise in domestic violence cases child marriage is deeply embedded in cultural
since lockdown measures were introduced. “I am practice, Chief Kachindamoto’s fight for cultural
consistently raising my voice about the pandemic’s change has required determination, leadership
gender dimensions, sharing relevant facts and and persistence.
information, while closely monitoring all government
actions,” says Osmani.
Working to protect vulnerable populations from
threats related to the COVID-19 crisis, she has
joined the UN Women Kosovo campaign against
domestic violence and has worked closely with
UNICEF on issues related to children’s health and
families’ wellbeing.
“A limited number of women hold leadership
positions globally and the same applies to Kosovo.
Social productivity cannot be reached while people WATCH:
are marginalized, discriminated and face gender- Meet Chief Theresa Kachindamoto,
based barriers,” she shares, adding that both men the first woman leader of her
and women need to contribute to efforts that put village in Malawi.
more women in decision-making positions.
UN WOMEN AUSTRALIA IWD SCHOOLS KIT // 7CLASSROOM
ACTIVITES
PRESS CONFERENCE
AIM: To engage students on gender equality in the context of the pandemic, and build communication skills.
Ultimately, this is about encouraging students to engage with each other’s opinions productively.
INSTRUCTIONS: Divide the classroom into two groups. Each group must designate three students to be
‘panellists’, and one student to be the journalist. Once the roles are assigned, every member of the group
is tasked with working together to develop 5 questions they would like to ask the student panellists – in the
other group -- about gender equality, leadership and COVID-19. Invite each group to exchange questions
with the other group to prepare their answers. Ask all students in each group to work together to come up
with a plan to support their answers -- by conducting research, gathering facts and examples to support
their answers. Once both groups are ready with their responses, they can role play two press conferences,
in which group has a chance to interview the other, with the designated panellists and journalists.
Depending on the panellists’ answers, the journalists might include new questions.
DISCUSSION QUESTION
AIM: To get students thinking about the wider picture of gender equality and women’s leadership.
INSTRUCTIONS: Seat students in a roundtable discussion formation to debate the importance of women’s
equal representation in political leadership. The teacher or a selected student will act as the moderator,
and control debate. Each student will address the debate with an opening address and present statistics
and facts about women’s representation in politics, and the extent to which the students feel equal
representation is important.
After hearing opening addresses, students will have the opportunity to get up and defend their proposal.
The debate can be as detailed as you like!
LEADERSHIP-IN-A-BOX
AIM: Promote the students’ critical thinking by analysing female leadership stories and discussing gender
roles through images and colour.
INSTRUCTIONS: Ask students to gather female leadership stories that they identify in news, editorials, features,
humour, advertising, sports, and entertainment, among other sources. At the end of each week, have students
read as many of the stories as possible and choose at least one to discuss as a classroom. Discuss and compare
the stories, and ask: how are women represented in the story? Do they know other women doing the same?
Would they like to do that? What role do factors like gender or age play in people being accepted as leaders, or
being recognised as leaders? Is that fair? If not, what can you do to change that? What is the language used in
the article?
As a follow-up to the activity, you might ask students to design their own ads which challenge gender
stereotypes.
8 // UN WOMEN AUSTRALIA IWD SCHOOLS KITHOW YOU CAN HELP
UN WOMEN AUSTRALIA IS CALLING ON STUDENTS, JUST LIKE YOU, TO PICK UP
THE PACE OF PROGRESS TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY BY MAKING EVERY DAY
COUNT. JOIN OUR CAMPAIGN TO PRIORITISE GENDER EQUALITY AT ALL LEVELS
OF SOCIETY. HERE ARE SOME IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED!
HOST AN INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY EVENT
1 IN YOUR CLASS OR SCHOOL
Help make the world safe and fair by hosting an event and
raising money to support UN Women’s work around the world.
There are many different ways that you and your classmates can
fundraise. Check out our Fundraiser Pack for ideas and register as
a fundraiser!
ORGANISE A SCREENING OF UN WOMEN
2 AUSTRALIA’S VIRTUAL IWD PROGRAM
If you would like to bring UN Women Australia’s IWD speakers to
your school or community then you can stream the event live on
Friday 5 March or up to a week later.
Please contact tickets@unwomen.org.au if you require more
information.
SELL PURPLE RIBBONS
3 Be a local leader by showing your support for International Women’s
Day – wear your purple ribbon with pride. Wearing a purple ribbon
is a great way to demonstrate that you support gender equality to
make the world safe and fair for everyone. You can help to spread
the word by purchasing purple ribbons to sell or give away at your
event, school or in your community.
Each ribbon sold supports UN Women’s work, ensuring that
everybody everywhere is treated fairly, is safe and has access to
opportunities to lead and learn
Head to our website to purchase your purple ribbons!
TAKE THE HEFORSHE PLEDGE
4 Do you think that everyone should be treated fairly and be a
leader, regardless of gender? Do you want to help make that
happen? Then you are HeForShe. Join the community and
make the HeForShe commitment today.
By fundraising for UN Women Australia this IWD, your donation supports women as leaders,
entrepreneurs and agents of change in Fiji, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands through UN Women’s
Markets for Change project.
UN WOMEN AUSTRALIA IWD SCHOOLS KIT // 9STAY CONNECTED
www.unwomen.org.au
Follow us @unwomenaust
Like UN Women Australia
Subscribe to the UN Women Australia Channel
Follow us @unwomenaust
REFERENCES 1 https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_
Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1516/Quick_Guides/
AustPM#:~:text=Australia%20has%20had%2029%20prime,office%20(see%20
Appendix%201). 2 https://www.statista.com/statistics/1058345/countries-with-
women-highest-position-executive-power-since-1960/ 3 https://data.unwomen.
org/sites/default/files/documents/Publications/GenderSnapshot_2020.pdf
4 https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2020/9/compilation-five-stories-
of-womens-leadershipYou can also read
